Lindsey Vonn, 41, Wins Again After Knee Replacement

Lindsey Vonn crossed the finish line in Zauchensee, Austria, with a time that seemed impossible just a year ago. The 41-year-old American, who retired in 2019 because her knees could barely carry her down another slope, just won her second downhill World Cup title of the season.

Vonn raced down the Austrian mountain in 1 minute and 6.24 seconds, beating Norway's Kajsa Vickhoff Lie by nearly four tenths of a second. Her victory came just weeks after she became the oldest downhill World Cup winner in history at St. Moritz, Switzerland.

The comeback story started with a bold medical decision. After years of chronic pain that forced her into early retirement, Vonn underwent a partial knee replacement and returned to competitive skiing in December 2024.

"I honestly thought with my start number that I had no chance," Vonn said after her win. She drew the sixth starting position, meaning she had to carve through deep, untracked snow without a clear racing line to follow.

Instead of playing it safe, Vonn pushed harder. "I was like 'I could be last, I could be first. I have no idea but I'm going to do my best,'" she explained.

The risk paid off spectacularly. Vonn has now reached the podium in all four downhill races she's entered this season, and she leads the World Cup standings with 84 career victories across all skiing disciplines.

Her remarkable form puts her on track to compete at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics next month. Vonn already has three Olympic medals from her earlier career, including one gold.

What makes this comeback particularly meaningful is that Vonn isn't just returning to participate. She's competing at the highest level and beating skiers half her age, proving that modern medicine combined with determination can redefine what's possible in elite athletics.

The Winter Olympics run from February 6 to 22, and the world will be watching to see if Vonn can add to her medal collection in what may be her final competitive chapter.